Alcohol Sales on Christmas

In a continuing effort to improve the quality of life for the residents, tourists and business owners in the City of Savannah, the Revenue Department would like to remind businesses of the following three sections of the Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance:

Section 6-1211 (b) Hours of sale for retail package stores and ancillary package stores. No Class E or D licensee may sell alcoholic beverages at any time on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. Class D licensees may not sell distilled spirits except between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday and between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Sundays. Class D and E licensees may not sell malt beverages or wine between the hours of 11:45 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday or between the hours of 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 8:00 a.m. Monday.

Engages in the retail sale of malt beverages or wine in unbroken packages, not for consumption on the premises; and

Derives from such retail sale of malt beverages or wine in unbroken packages less than 25 percent of its total annual gross sales

Retail Package Store means a Class D license holder and refers to a retail business establishment;

Primarily engaged in retail sale of distilled spirits, malt beverages or wine in unbroken packages, not for consumption on premises, except as authorized by Title 3 of the O.C.G.A., as amended; and

Which derives from such retail sale of alcoholic beverages in unbroken packages, at least 75 percent of its total annual gross sales.

Section 6-1211 (c) Hours of Operation, Sunday Sales. A Class C licensee, upon obtaining a Sunday sales permit, may serve alcoholic beverage between the hours of 11:00 a.m. Sunday and 2:00 a.m. Monday provided the licensee or applicant, as appropriate, complies with the following provisions, evidence of which shall be provided to the office of the Revenue Director by certification made under oath by a certified public accountant by a deadline to be specified by the Revenue Director.

(a) Any Class C licensee in possession of a current city license may apply for an off premises license, to extent of the holder’s on-premise consumption alcoholic beverage license in effect at the time of application, to act as a licensed alcohol beverage caterer whereby such licensee is permitted to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages, consistent with its on-premises consumption license, by the drink in connection with authorized catered functions of a limited duration, which shall be set forth in the licensing application.

(b) Any Class D licensee in possession of a current city license may apply for an off-premises license, to the extent of the holder’s package dealer alcoholic beverage license at the time of application, to act as licensed alcoholic beverage caterer whereby such license is permitted to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages, consistent with its retail package dealer license, by the drink in connection with authorized catered functions of a limited duration, which shall be set forth in the licensing application.

(c) The application for each such authorized catered function license shall be made upon a form provided by the city, identifying the name of the caterer, the date, address and time of the event and the licensed alcoholic beverage caterer’s license number. The application shall be submitted with payment fo a license fee as set forth in the annual revenue ordinance.

We would like to thank those of you who are already in compliance and look forward to continued cooperation by all alcoholic beverage establishments.